Chapter Text
September 14, 1984 | Friday | 1:22 PM | Junior Year
"Come on Michael, you have to have a crush on someone in this school." One of Michael's friends, Darin, taunted as he prodded at his shoulder.
It was sixth period English class. Everyone was supposed to be working on their essays the teacher assigned while she went out of the room for a bit. Michael and his friends were procrastinating, as usual. While doing so, they somehow got onto the topic of who each of the boys was attracted to. Then to whom each of the boys were crushing on, it was Michael’s turn to confess.
"Nope, no one." He lied, as he shifted in his seat awkwardly. He focused on the empty paper in front of him, avoiding his friends and their teasing stares.
He was embarrassed to admit to his friends that the tough Michael Afton had a silly schoolgirl crush. He couldn’t help but feel his heart strings tug every time he spotted the girl among another social group. They had been in the same school together since fifth grade, but he never seemed to really notice her up until freshman year. Now, he couldn’t help but flush at the sight of her ever since then.
"Come on, that's a lie and we all know it." Another friend, Trevor, remarked. "I bet it's Stephanie. He's always staring at her ass."
"I would guess Melissa. She's a total babe, and perfect for you Mike!" Darin replied, leaning against the back of his chair as he edged closer towards them with a grin on his face.
"Doesn't she have a boyfriend already?" Jeremy finally spoke up, defending Michael. He was the only one that knew who it was that Michael liked.
"Yes, and as I already said, I don't like anyone right now." His face started to slightly heat up knowing she was just a few seats behind them.
"See! You're getting flustered already!" One laughed at him, "So just tell us which one it is."
Before they could continue interrogating him further, another person butt in. "Leave him alone guys, he obviously doesn't want to tell you."
Michael turned around, noticing her. His heartbeat quickened slightly, realizing his group caught her attention. He never thought she'd talk to him or any of his friends. Nonetheless, standing up for him against them. If Michael could fall harder at this moment, he just did.
Darin and Trevor looked over at her then back at each other and snickered. She normally kept to herself and always had her head in one of her comic books, so naturally, they found it comical that she tried to stand up to them of all people.
"Oh? Did you hear something Trevor?" Darin snickered, as he elbowed Trevor. His eyes glinted as he stared right at her.
"No, I didn't hear anything. Did you Michael?" Trevor replied, humorously.
"Leave it alone guys, it's not worth our time" Jeremy tried to defend her but his friends didn't listen. Wanting to mess with her more for getting in their business.
The two teen boys got up from their seats, proudly sauntering over to her desk. Standing on either side of her, they both leaned over her, making her feel trapped. "I think I heard a little pipsqueak trying to talk shit." Darin snickers.
"Seriously guys, just leave her alone." Michael finally spoke up, not wanting his friend to do anything to her. He tried to avoid looking at her, but he could feel her gaze on him.
Darin leaned his face closer to hers. Looking for a reaction, wanting to make her uncomfortable. Even though she wasn't giving into their harassment, on the inside she was terrified. All she wanted was to help out Michael but now she had gotten herself into this mess. She kept her eyes on the pages of her comic book, trying to ignore them the best she could. Michael and Jeremy couldn't do anything but watch the scene unfold. Michael felt a twinge of jealousy towards his friend getting close to her. He bawled his fists and held his tongue.
Trevor was about to open up his mouth and say something else but thankfully the bell saved her from this torment. They both were dissatisfied with the lack of reaction from her and decided to leave her alone... for now at least. She relaxed, her shoulders lowered after being so tense.
"Watch your mouth Y/N." Trevor warned before getting his stuff and leaving with Darin. Y/N finally let out a sigh of relief that they didn't do anything else to her.
"You should go talk to her now," Jeremy whispered to Michael before getting up and heading towards the door. Giving him a wink before exiting.
She started packing up her bag, not noticing Michael approaching her. He was finally going to do it. The day he'd been dreaming of, but had avoided it as much as he could. But now he had a reason to talk to her.
"Thanks for that." Michael started, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
She was startled by his sudden approach, not expecting anyone else to bother her. "Oh Michael. No problem?" She was confused as to why he was talking to her. She turned to walk past him, but he stepped in her way again.
"Here, I'll walk you to your next class." He proudly stated. He felt like he owed her after his friends harassed her. And secretly, he didn't want to stop talking to her. Y/N stared at him, before shrugging.
The first and last time they talked to each other was when they were paired together for a project in freshman year. Where he just talked the whole time while she did all of the work. So naturally, she was confused on why Michael was talking to her now of all times. Not only that, but offering to walk her to her next class.
She wondered what he had to gain from this. "No need, I don't want to make you late." She tried to come up with an excuse for why he shouldn’t.
He shook his head. He couldn’t help but feel a little joy that she cared about his tardies, even though that wasn't the real reason. "Don't worry! I'd be late with or without walking you. Where’ you headed?" He jogged slightly to catch up with her.
She let out an annoyed sigh knowing she's not going to be able to shake him off. "I'm heading to the theater," She spoke simply.
She walked out the classroom door with Michael hot on her trail, following like a lost puppy. "So what are you guys doing in theater?" He questioned, staring at her as she refused to look back at him.
"Oh well I'm just helping build the set. As for the musical we're doing, Sound of Music." She continued on down the hall. She didn’t want to seem interested in their conversation, otherwise he would just follow for longer.
"Oh that's cool!" Michael has no interest in musicals, but if acting like he did gets him closer to her, musicals are his favorite thing in the world. "Have you watched the movie?"
"Yeah I would watch it all the time with my grandparents," She replied with a curt nod.
"Ahh….Cool." He mentally punched himself for saying 'cool' again, which wasn’t cool.
Things then went quiet between the two as they started to near the auditorium. He was trying to think of something to continue the conversation, but his mind was failing him. Until he remembered the comic in her hand while his friends were harassing her.
"Comics." He said the first word that came to mind.
"What?" She raised a brow at this, confused as to why it came out of nowhere.
"Oh uh-" He just realized he only said that word, and out loud. "What comic were you reading in class?"
"I was reading Vision and The Scarlet Witch." She was happy that someone was asking about her interests. "I've read this volume quite a few times. I'm waiting for the second one to come out."
"Wow you must really like it then. When's the next one coming out?" He questioned curiously.
"I think they said sometime around next year? I'm not too sure though." She stopped in front of the auditorium doors. "Well thanks for walking with me... I guess." She stared at him blankly. He awkwardly backed off.
Michael was sad that she had to leave already. He didn't want to go back to pretending like she didn't exist, like he didn't have a massive crush on her. "Of course." He mumbled, unsure whether she heard him or not.
He watched as she walked into the theater. Leaving him standing there, upset. He knew he had to talk to her about something else, he didn't want to give up just yet.
She walked up to the stage, not realizing her friend, Lily, was right behind her. Worryingly she questioned. "Y/N, why in the living hell were you talking to Michael Afton? Did he mess with you? Do I need to beat him up? I can do it and you know that." Lily had begun to roll up her sleeves at this point.
Y/N let out a soft chuckle. "There's no need for that, he didn't do anything. But I have no idea why, honestly. His friends were trying to pressure him into saying who he likes. I felt bad because he really didn't want to tell him so I told them to fuck off and then he wanted to walk me here. I’m guessing to thank me." She explained shortly.
Lily gave a suspicious look, "That's weird for someone like him."
"That's what I'm saying!" She shouted back "Why would a guy that is notorious for being the school bully walk me to my class?"
"I don't trust it," She warned.
"I don't either," Y/N replied.
Their teacher caught them talking and not working. "Come on girls, you need to get to work!" He yelled.
They both sighed and went to go do their assigned jobs. Michael decided to skip his next class and hide in the bathroom outside of the auditorium. He lit his cigarette, inhaling and exhaling as he brainstormed what else he could do. He couldn't believe that he actually just talked to her. He wanted to ask her out but he didn't know how to bring it up to her.
The bell rang signaling the end of the school day. Y/N said goodbye to her friends and left, not realizing Michael was waiting for her.
"Hey Y/N, wait up!" He shouted once he noticed her walking away and ran after her.
People gave him weird looks, wondering why he was wanting her. Most just suspected she was doing his homework for money or something along those lines.
She sighed out in annoyance, thinking that she wasn't going to have to deal with him anymore. But stopped to see what he wanted. The second he caught up to her, she could smell the cigarette smoke on him. Her nose scrunched up. "Yes?"
"I thought I would just walk you to the bus,'" He said with a smile.
"I'm good," she said while turning around and walking away.
To her dismay, he followed, "I actually have a question to ask." He quickly jogged towards her again.
"What is it?" She was getting a bit irritated at his persistence.
"I never said sorry for my friends harassing you. Would you want to go see a movie with me tomorrow?" It took him a long time to come up with that excuse to ask her out. "....As a way to apologize of course."
She didn't have a good feeling about this. Maybe this was some sort of joke he was playing with his friends. As they probably put him up to this. "No, I'm good. Thanks for the apology though."
She tried to speed walk away from him but he just matched her pace. "Will you please just think about it?"
"Fine," She groaned, just wanting him to go away. Knowing nothing good can come out of this. "Call me tomorrow and ask me how I feel then." Hoping the trouble of finding her number through the phone book would be enough to shake him off.
"Will do!" Michael was happy with that response. He skipped off joyfully, leaving Y/N to groan again to herself.
She walked away with that. She was obviously going to reject him when he called, she didn't trust this.